Turning Back The Clock? Don’t Forget To Change The Battery In Your Smoke Detector!

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Can you believe it’s time to turn back the clock? Tonight is the night you gain an extra hour of sleep, but Philadelphia’s Fire Commissioner hopes that before you hit the hay, you’ll do one thing that could save your life.

Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says it’s the perfect opportunity to take that smoke alarm off the wall and change the battery.

“You want to make sure that alarm is working, that the batteries are fresh and they are going to supply that very important wake up call or that alarm in case something breaks down in your home and you have to evacuate,” Ayers says.

He also says that seconds count, because many of the items in your home are made of plastic–which is petroleum based–and give off a toxic gas, which is why you need a smoke detector on every level of your home.

And for city residents who can’t afford smoke alarms?

“If you call 3-1-1 or our Smoke Alarm Hotline at 215-686-1176, we will be informed; we’ll be out and we’ll install one for you!” Ayers says.

Reported by Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio

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